In January, Edmonton resident Lisa Kruy started going to Ruth’s Pantry for groceries.
“For the past few years, myself and my husband, we’ve been struggling,” Kruy explained.
With the high cost of living — and only one income — putting food on the table has been a challenge.
Then Kruy got connected with Ruth’s Pantry through her son’s school — easing some of those worries.
“I got to come in here, pick what I needed, and provide for my little family,” Kruy said.
“It’s meant a lot to my family, because now my son gets to go to school with lunches.”
The pantry in northeast Edmonton — which launched last fall — is a program of SOAR Community Empowerment.
The non-profit helps vulnerable people in the community through its various programming.
“We all face crisis, we all face different things in life, and sometimes we just need some help,” SOAR director & CEO Craig Henkelman said.
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“We come in to just help with groceries, because a lot of times it’s just difficult to pay rent.”
Right now Ruth’s Pantry serves more than 100 families.
“Families can register with us, and then they come every week, and they get what they need,” Henkelman explained.
“We want to give them a sense of dignity and empowerment, so that’s why they get a shopping experience.”
Some of the stories they hear from community members are heartbreaking, staff say.
“We had one family came through here, and the little guy, when he saw milk, was like, ‘Mom, we haven’t had milk in four days,’ and we were able to give them milk and eggs for free,” said Christy Henkelman, the overseer of Ruth’s Pantry.
A food source provides them with produce and meat, but donations of pantry items are always welcome.
The organization has also launched a campaign raising money to build a commercial kitchen.
“It’s called ‘1,000 for 150 for Kids,’ and really, it’s looking for 1,000 people to give $150,” Craig said.
“That allows us partly to keep everything open, but to expand the facility.”
The kitchen would also enable them to host classes.
“We can train kids how to make meals — that’s a big thing,” Christy said.
“It’s also important that we can also provide meals pre-made if possible.”
A community effort to combat food insecurity.
“We’re one part,” Craig said. “There’s great organizations in the city that are doing great things, and we’re coming alongside all of that.”
A resource Kruy is grateful for.
“The fact that there’s good people out there that are willing to help families like me that are struggling — that means a lot to us,” Kruy said.
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